Workstations for computer equipment are well known. Known computer workstations generally comprise a plurality of distinct, fixedly mounted horizontal surfaces for supporting a computer monitor or VDT (Video Display Terminal), a computer keyboard, a central processing unit and a computer printer. In one configuration, the keyboard is positioned in front of and at a lower horizontal plane than the VDT, which sits behind and elevated from the keyboard. Using such a workstation, the location of the VDT forces the operator to strain his or her neck in order to view the VDT. In addition to the annoyance of neck strain and the associated decrease in productivity, prolonged neck strain may result in long-term illness, increased absenteeism and higher health insurance premiums.
Attempts have been made to alleviate this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,755,009 and 5,071,204 to Price et al., 4,869,564 to Lechman and 4,590,866 to Schairbaum disclose computer workstations wherein the VDT is mounted below a transparent portion of an modified desktop surface at a lower horizontal plane than the keyboard, which is positioned atop the surface. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,866 to Schairbaum, the VDT is mounted on movable supports below an enlarged transparent work surface and may be moved forward and backward, rotatably and side-to-side, the combination of such movements providing a wide variety of convenient locations for the VDT.
Variations of the aforementioned workstations exist, such as those having vertically adjustable flat surfaces for positioning of a keyboard and VDT which surfaces may, for example, be periodically varied by the operator in order to relieve back strain.
Even in view of the numerous commercially available workstations, the problem of neck strain remains of primary concern and the decreased productivity, increased incidence of VDT related ailment coupled with increased health benefit premiums reflect the need for a computer workstation that alleviates these problems.
In a recent survey of 10,000 telecommunications workers whose duties include the intensive use of computers, the Occupational Safety and Health Office of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) concluded that eighty-six percent of the respondents had experienced daily incidence of neck and shoulder pain, as well as numbness in their extremities.
Another recent survey of computer operators performed at the University of Idaho operated under the hypothesis that computer operators generally will re-adjust their postures rather than the configuration of their workstations. The results of this study indicate that the presumption of the researchers was correct. More importantly, the results indicate that depending upon the application, the computer operators surveyed tended to make severe posture adjustments rather than minor workstation adjustments. Nearly seventy percent of those surveyed had never adjusted their keyboards, eighty-eight percent had never adjusted the height or position of their VDT, eighty-three percent had never adjusted their chair, and ninety percent had never adjusted their table, despite the relative ease of effecting such adjustments. Further, this study indicated that the vast majority of individuals who reported the most common computer related ailments which occur on a daily basis, i.e., neck aches, eye strain and headaches, were invariably among those operators who had never adjusted their workstation environments, choosing rather to manipulate their posture to fit the application. It is this severe posture manipulation which causes the vast majority of VDT related ailments. These results strongly suggest that ergonomically adjustable work station components are not fully utilized by the vast majority of VDT operators, indicating that the workstations are not convenient to adjust.
The results of this study demonstrate that existing ergonomically adjustable computer workstations do not provide convenient adjustment, resulting in the neglect of their benefits by computer operators. For instance, some adjustable workstations require inconvenient mechanical adjustments, necessitating the use of tools for their adjustment. Although permitting adjustment quite easily, others are not capable of being adjusted while the computer operator is seated in a working position. Consequently, the operator is at a loss to arbitrarily determine the optimum workstation configuration and does not adjust the workstation, suffering from neck strain as a result.
Thus, there is a need for a computer workstation capable of effecting a wide range of adjustments in the vertical and rotational orientation of the VDT which adjustments may easily and conveniently be effected while the computer operator is seated in a comfortable and typical work position.
In order to design a computer workstation that solves these problems, the present inventor has undertaken to study VDT related ailments. During this exhaustive investigation, the present inventor correlated the nature and cause of certain VDT related ailments and invented an optimal computer workstation to prevent the occurrence of such ailments.